


The Girl Who Was Promised the Stars

by cerezsis



Series: The Girl Who Was Promised the Stars [1]
Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attempted Kidnapping, Birth, Blood and Injury, But some fluff too, Children of Characters, Demon's Run (Doctor Who), Episode: s04e08 Silence in the Library, Episode: s05e04 The Time of Angels, Episode: s06e01 The Impossible Astronaut, Episode: s06e02 Day of the Moon, Episode: s06e07 A Good Man Goes to War, F/F, F/M, Family Angst, Family Bonding, Family Drama, Family Dynamics, Family Issues, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Multi, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Outer Space, Parent-Child Relationship, The Silence, Time Tots | Babies (Doctor Who), Unplanned Pregnancy, a lot of angst actualy...
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 07:07:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28774317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cerezsis/pseuds/cerezsis
Summary: River stared down at the communicator in her hand, its little green lights no longer flashing. Only one thought went through her mind, and with the nature of it mixed with the bone chilling scene she just witnessed, she was unable to stop herself before the words left her mouth.“She was only a few years older than my daughter…”Realizing what she just said, the professor looked over at the Doctor. His eyes were still on Miss Evangelista. He heard her, definitely, but there was no reaction.Of course not, River thought to herself, He’s only just met me.It wasn’t until much later that those words clicked for the Doctor. By then, he and Donna were back in the TARDIS, shaken but on their way to their next adventure. “My daughter,” she’d said. River Song had a daughter. River Song knew his name. She was his… would be his…Was this girl his daughter too?AU where the Doctor and River Song have a child.
Relationships: Amy Pond & River Song, Amy Pond & Rory Williams & Original Female Character(s), Amy Pond (Doctor Who) & Original Female Character(s), Amy Pond/Rory Williams, Eleventh Doctor & Amy Pond, Eleventh Doctor & Amy Pond & Rory Williams, Eleventh Doctor & Original Character(s), Eleventh Doctor & Original Female Character(s), Eleventh Doctor & Rory Williams, Eleventh Doctor/River Song, Original Female Character(s)/Original Female Character(s), River Song & Original Character(s), River Song & Original Female Character(s), River Song & Rory Williams, Rory Williams & Original Female Character(s), The Doctor & Amy Pond (Doctor Who), The Doctor & Original Time Lord Character(s), The Doctor & Rory Williams, The Doctor/River Song
Series: The Girl Who Was Promised the Stars [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2109636
Comments: 28
Kudos: 84





	1. Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> It appears I'm on a role of writing fics that have been in my head for years... 
> 
> This one's been a work in progress since I was in high school. Enjoy!

The team’s eyes were locked on the skeletal remains of Miss Evangelista, even now that River disabled the communicator.

“That… That was horrible,” Donna said, her voice trembling, “That was the most horrible thing I’ve ever seen.”

River stared down at the communicator in her hand, its little green lights no longer flashing. Only one thought went through her mind, and with the nature of it mixed with the bone chilling scene she just witnessed, she was unable to stop herself before the words left her mouth.

“She was only a few years older than my daughter…”

Realizing what she just said, the professor looked over at the Doctor. His eyes were still on Miss Evangelista. He heard her, definitely, but there was no reaction.

_Of course not_ , River thought to herself, _He’s only just met me._

It wasn’t until much later that those words clicked for the Doctor. By then, he and Donna were back in the TARDIS, shaken but on their way to their next adventure. _“My daughter,”_ she’d said. River Song had a daughter. River Song knew his name. She was his… _would_ be his…

Was this girl his daughter too?

\--

This was where it started for the Doctor. For River, it began in April of 1969.

It had only been three weeks since she split off from the Doctor, Amy, Rory, and Canton. Their job was to investigate the Silence, but on top of the problem of their memory wiping abilities, River had an additional obstacle on her hands.

To put it bluntly, she felt like shit. Random bouts of nausea would hit her throughout the day, and she’d been away from Stormcage long enough that she couldn’t blame it on the prison food anymore. If she were being honest, she’d suspected it before she even broke out of prison, but she’d been quick to push it out of her mind. Every woman hears that little voice when they’re even the slightest bit late – even pre-teen virgins – but every other time she heard that little voice, it was only a matter of a day or two before it was proven wrong.

Now, though. _Now_ it had been over a month. Ignoring it seemed so easy, seemed so _safe_ , but she couldn’t take it anymore. She had to know. Her hearts pounded as she waited for the scanner to load the results, but she showed none of this outwardly. Apparently, she was just as good at hiding her emotions when there was no one around to hide them from.

The scanner pinged, the word “POSITIVE” flashing on the screen, along with the digitalized image of what resembled a deformed tadpole. A sound was emitted too, fast and rhythmic with a slight echo. A heartbeat. More specifically, two heartbeats.

Clearing the screen, River put the scanner away and returned to the mission at hand. She’d deal with this – her pregnancy – later. It wasn’t like she had a choice. She was alone in 1969, potentially surrounded by the beings that ensured her kidnapping and grooming. If they found out about the near full-blooded Time Lord growing inside of her… Well, that wasn’t something she was going to allow herself to think about.

As is often the case with life changing revelations, River couldn’t entirely prevent thoughts about her baby from popping up from time to time. Most thoughts she tried to bury – Was she even fit to be a mother? What will the Doctor’s reaction be? How much danger would this child face in its lifetime, just from who its parents are? – but, very rarely, there’d come a thought that she’d welcome.

_Maxwell. That would be a good name for a boy._

Names were the only thought she allowed herself to indulge in. She briefly considered Richard for a boy – if nothing else than to irritate the Doctor – but quickly decided it was a rubbish name. Catherine was a strong contender for a girl; there were many queens with some variant of that name. Cecilia was also a choice, after the British-born astronomer who correctly theorized the chemical composition of the stars. Eleanor would be good too…

By the time she returned to Stormcage, the thought of her little one didn’t fill her with quite as much terror. Perhaps it was largely due to no longer being within reach of the Silence, but progress was progress. Perhaps, she considered as she stood in her cell’s doorway, now would be the moment she’d tell the Doctor.

“See you next time,” the Time Lord said as he walked towards the TARDIS.

River smirked. “What, that’s it?” She chuckled as the Doctor turned around and walked back over to her. “What’s the matter with you?”

“Have I forgotten something?” he asked.

“Oh, shut up,” she grinned, before pulling him close to her, her lips quickly meeting his. He kissed back at first, but suddenly became squirmy and nervous. He didn’t fight it, but he also didn’t seem to know if he should be enjoying it or not. Something was wrong, River knew this before she even pulled away. Their eyes met, and a few seconds passed before the Doctor spoke.

“Right… Okay… Interesting.”

River felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. She wasn’t sure if she wanted the answer, but she asked the question anyway. “What’s wrong? You’re acting like we’ve never done that before.”

“We haven’t.” The words left his mouth maybe too quickly.

Realizing the implication of those words, River couldn’t seem to hide the sadness in her eyes. “… We haven’t?”

“Oh, look at the time. Must be off.” Despite his effort to make it look like he was checking his watch, it was obvious his eyes were on the floor. “But it was nice. It was… it was good. It was, uh… unexpected.”

River’s eyes didn’t leave him once as he awkwardly made his was towards the TARDIS. It was hard to tell if he was trying to avoid hurting her feelings, or if he was just that desperate to get away from her.

“You know what they say,” he said just before going inside, “There’s a first time for everything.”

The TARDIS doors closed behind him. It was only when she was sure that he couldn’t hear her that River spoke again.

“And a last time.”

Mere seconds passed before the blue box materialized away. River let a hand travel to her belly as she closed the cell door. She wondered how, after everything she’s been through, she never felt more alone than she did in that moment.


	2. Breathe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A long-dead princess, a maze of tunnels, and a colony of cave-dwelling man eaters. What could possibly go wrong?   
> …  
> Well, a baby could decide it’s time to be born.

Vimtryl! That’s where the Doctor decided they were going next. He’d gone on and on about how the planet was rich with gemstones, and entire cities were built on mountains, the entire time jumping about the console like a child on Christmas morning. Indeed, it was truly a sight to behold, the soil itself almost glittering with specks of gems, and shiny, metallic buildings that seemed to grow right out of the mountainside. Even the homes belonging to the city’s lower class were made of smooth, black bricks that closely resembled obsidian, its surface gleaming in the sunlight. Yes, it was abundantly clear that this planet was bountiful with riches.

Their destination had been the Crystal Tower – an entire estate made from gem clusters, everything from the walls to the furniture formed from a different gemstone – but they’d been stopped on their way there. An out of breath stranger approached them, clearly having been running around the city all day, asking if one of them was the Doctor. Now he, Amy, and Rory found themselves approaching what looked like a car lot. Only these cars weren’t like the ones on Earth; these were twice as bulky, and the tires were just as large and sported retractable spikes. The Doctor didn’t bat an eye at them, but it took a minute for Amy and Rory to realize these features were necessary for getting around in a mountain city.

Why they were here, the three of them still didn’t know. All the man said was that “the team is waiting for you!” and either didn’t think or didn’t have time to elaborate further. The “team” in question was easy enough to spot, all dressed in brightly colored jumpsuits meant for cave exploration. There were ten of them in total, gathered in between the two bulky vehicles they’d rented, and having a last-minute discussion around a map that was projected in front of them.

Having spotted the trio, one of the team members broke off and began to approach them. She was easy enough to recognize, but the three still found themselves questioning if it was really her. It seemed that even knowing that you were constantly meeting someone out of order wasn’t enough to prepare one for seeing that said person was suddenly nine months pregnant.

Now standing in front of the Doctor, River grinned. “Hello sweetie.”

\--

_Night had not yet fallen. The fires from the Byzantium’s crashing had more or less burned out. By now, River had changed out of her evening dress and into the combat uniform worn by Father Octavian and his clerics._

_Something fell from River’s bag as she set it on the ground. Curious, the Doctor didn’t stop to think before bending down and picking it up. It was a photograph, one of those yearly school portraits by the look of it. A teenage girl smiled back at him, her hair long and red – something the Doctor couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy over – and her green eyes matching River’s almost perfectly. The smile she wore was bright and jovial, but something about it made the Doctor pause. He couldn’t put his finger on why, but it bothered him._

_When exactly River approached him the Doctor couldn’t say, but she was the first thing he saw when he looked up. He mustered a smile and turned the picture around to show River._

_“Your daughter?” he asked._

_A small grin on her face, River took the picture from him. “I’m surprised you know about her this early.”_

_“I know she exists, nothing more than that.”_

_Having only been a few feet away during this exchange, Amy approached them._

_“You have a daughter?” she asked River._

_Still wearing that grin, the archaeologist handed the picture to Amy._

_“Oh, she’s lovely,” the Scottish woman complimented, before handing it back._

_“This was taken when she started year 11. She’s almost sixteen now,” River said, pride in her voice, “She goes to Eos Academy, a private all-girl’s school.”_

_“Almost sixteen and at an all-girl’s school?” Amy couldn’t help but smirk. “Must be nice, not having to worry about her sneaking around with boys.”_

_“Yes, but I do worry about her sneaking around with her girlfriend.”_

_The Doctor stopped listening at this point. It finally hit him what was wrong with the girl’s smile._

_It was his smile, too._

\--

The Ruby Tunnels. That’s why River was here, for the excavation of the Ruby Tunnels.

“They’re said to date back thousands of years, back when this region was still ruled by a monarchy,” River explained as she piloted the TARDIS, “If the legends are to be believed, it’s where the princess hid her maid after the royal family discovered their love affair. Their tombs are somewhere inside, hidden in a maze of tunnels designed to both deter grave robbers and keep the royal family from finding the maid.”

“How would that work?” Amy asked. She’d already gotten over the shock of River being pregnant. Well, it wasn’t so much the pregnancy that was the shock – she’d seen the picture of her daughter, after all – more the fact that it had only been a few weeks since America, and, as far she knew, River hadn’t been pregnant then. Not _that_ pregnant, at least. “If the maze is that hard to get through, how was the princess supposed to find the maid?”

“She was the one who designed it,” River explained, “The royals had a tradition of designing their tombs while they were young, so it was the perfect cover. She even hired different sets of workers to dig different sections. No one but her ever knew more than a few miles of the tunnels, and no one but her ever made it out alive.”

“Hang on, _what?”_ Rory asked. He’d been the most surprised to find that River was pregnant – Amy apparently never got around to mentioning the picture of the redheaded teenager – but given what he knew about her and the Doctor’s relationship, it wasn’t exactly a stretch to believe. Even if it was, the lingering shock was currently being drowned out by the alarm bells set off by the nurse part of his brain. “ _Miles_ of underground tunnels? That _no one’s_ come out of alive?”

“Oh, we sent radar droids down there ages ago. They mapped out the entire tomb, and we have GPS tracking.”

“But is it safe for _you_? You know, given that you’re…” He gestured to her bump.

River grinned. “Yes, my obstetrician cleared me. I wouldn’t be allowed on this expedition if she didn’t.” She turned her attention back to the console, pressing a few buttons before a soft thud could be heard from outside. She glanced over at the Doctor, expecting to see him annoyed by her not leaving the breaks on, but instead was met with a blank face and eyes still glued to her bump. It was then that she realized he hadn’t said a word the entire time.

“Right then, so let’s see where we are, shall we?” she said, trying to shake the sinking feeling in her stomach as she pulled out her diary.

As she turned the pages, the Doctor finally managed to tear his eyes away. He cleared his throat before choking out the words.

“Um, were you…” He paused. “Were ever planning on telling me… about…” He gestured vaguely to her belly. “… that.”

River paused. She closed her diary as she looked up at him, hoping she was masking her disappointment well enough. “I suppose this is me telling you.”

The few seconds of silence were nearly unbearable. A sort of heaviness hung in the air, whether it originated from River’s sadness or the Doctor’s awkwardness was up for debate.

“The others should be arriving now,” River said, before turning and exiting the TARDIS. No one else moved for a good minute, but the Doctor eventually forced himself to turn around and start typing in coordinates.

“You’re not seriously just going to leave her here?” Amy asked.

“She asked for a ride, I gave her one,” the Doctor said, not looking up from the controls, “We came for the Crystal Tower, not her.”

“Right, because you _always_ pick the safe little tourist attraction over the dangerous death pit,” Amy rolled her eyes, “This definitely has _nothing_ to do with River being pregnant with your baby.”

“There’s no proof it’s mine,” he quickly replied.

“No pro- You said yourself you knew she had a daughter!”

“Yes, I said I knew _she_ had a daughter! Whether or not she’s mine is still up in the air.”

“Oh yeah, _real_ mystery.” She glanced over at Rory, who also wore an expression of _is he really being serious right now?_

“I mean it, I’ve only… I’ve only kissed her, so far.”

“Yeah, _so far_. Future you seems to have done a bit more than that.”

Feeling his face turning red, the Doctor quickly moved to the other side of the console. Following him, this time it was Rory’s turn to speak.

“Look, Doctor, even if this baby isn’t yours, River’s still about to go miles underground, into a maze that no one’s ever come out of alive. A _very_ pregnant River. And you’re seriously not going to go with her?”

The Doctor paused. Without saying a word, he sighed and a unflipped a few switches before making his was toward the doors, Rory and Amy following after him.

“Nice of you to join us, sweetie,” River said as the three walked out of the TARDIS. She handed them each a torch. “Into the tunnels, then.”

\--

It wasn’t long before the group was met with pure darkness, save for the torches and headlamps. All was quiet, except for the sound of footsteps and the beeping of the GPS scanner held by the woman up front. The walls were decorated with red and blue markings, but there was no discernible pattern to them.

“So, why are they called the Ruby Tunnels anyway?” Amy asked.

“It’s up for debate,” River explained, “Some sources say the maid’s name translates to the ancient word for “ruby,” others say it’s because of the princess discovering ruby mines, which pulled the kingdom out of economic collapse.”

“A genius romantic who saved her kingdom,” Amy mused, “I’m really liking this princess.”

“We should pay her a visit one of these days,” the Doctor said, shining his torch on the wall art, “All these mysteries, it’d be nice to get some-”

“This doesn’t make sense,” the woman with the scanner interrupted.

The group stopped, all eyes on the woman.

“Jett, what’s wrong?” River asked.

Jett turned around to face the others, the light from her headlamp shining on them. “I set this to record our movements, as well the way to the tomb. We’ve… We’ve gone in a circle. We were just here twenty minutes ago.”

Silence. A sense of dread began to fill the air.

“Not possible,” the man with the long mustache protested, walking over to her, “Let me see that.”

He took the scanner from her, examining it for a moment. “This thing must be busted. It says we’re on a path that’s not even on the map.”

“It’s working perfectly,” Jett argued back, “I checked everything last night, and again before we left the hotel.”

“Well, you obviously screwed something up.”

“Ok, let’s not start fighting,” the Doctor said, shining his torch at them.

“Maybe it’s some kind of glitch,” one of the younger men on the team suggested, “Here, let me-”

He tripped as he began making his way to them, landing on the rough ground with a thud.

“You ok, Leo?” Jett asked.

“Yeah, fine,” he said, already pulling himself up. He started dusting off his hands, the light from his headlamp revealing something to him. “Just got a scratch.”

Not a second later, a low rumbling came from further down in the tunnel. Curious, the Doctor shined his torch into the darkness. At first there was nothing, but as the rumbling got closer, thousands of glowing eyes started to appear.

They were swarmed in an instant. Hundreds upon hundreds of creatures, no bigger than house cats, made their way towards Leo. He screamed as their spider-like legs tore into his flesh, long fangs devouring him in seconds. The Doctor’s scream of “RUN!” could barely be heard over the flapping of bat-like wings.

Making sure to grab hold of River, the Doctor turned his head to check that Amy and Rory were close by. The four of them managed to make it to a corridor, but if the screams and pleads for help were any indication, the rest of the team wasn’t as lucky. Seeing the swarm start to take notice of them, the Doctor aimed his sonic at the ceiling, causing a portion to collapse and block the entrance.

“Everyone ok?” the Doctor asked, turning around, and shining his light at them.

“What the _hell_ were those things?!” Rory half-shouted.

“Chirtata. Carnivorous cave-dwellers. They get the scent of blood, and they swarm. They usually live in small colonies. I’ve never seen one this large.”

“Leo just had a small scratch,” Amy pointed out, “Their sense of smell is that good?”

“When they’re starving, yes. It’s must’ve been a while since they’ve had a good meal.”

“Are we safe here?”

“For the time being, yes. As long as no one else draws blood, we should-”

His words were cut off by River taking in a sharp inhale. The others turned to her, seeing her hunched over and clutching her abdomen.

“Oh, are you kidding me?” she breathed.

The other three shared a glance, their expressions a mixture of fear and a sarcastic “yeah, of course this is happening,” before hurrying to her aid.

“How far are you from your due date?” Rory asked.

River took a deep breath before her face contorted in pain. “Less than a week.”

“And your OB cleared you to go into a death maze??”

“Of course not! That was an obvious lie! I forged the documents to-” She was cut off as pain continued to ripple through her body. Instinctively reaching out a hand, it was quickly met by the Doctor’s.

“Breathe,” the Time Lord calmly instructed, “Just breathe.”

River nodded and continued taking slow, deep breaths. The contraction soon began to taper down, and she was able to stand up straight.

“Ok… Ok, it’s passed.” She looked up at the Doctor, her eyes meeting his. “So, what’s the plan for getting out of here?”

He didn’t answer right away. Realizing he was still holding her hand, he let go before giving a hesitant answer.

“Ah… I don’t know.”

“You don’t know? So you’ve trapped us in a maze full of starving chirtatas, _I’m_ about to have a baby, and you have no idea how to get us out?”

“ _You_ were the one with the-!” he stopped himself, briefly pacing as he tried to think. “Ok… ok, so… maybe you’re not actually in labor?”

“Excuse me?”

“Your body could just be responding to stress, or it’s Braxton Hicks contractions. Quite common, lots of women experience them. Either way, we shouldn’t panic unless-”

Suddenly, River gasped and there was the clear sound of water hitting the floor. No one moved or said a word, especially the Doctor. River gave him an irritated glare.

“What was that you were saying?”

\--

_The Doctor eyed River. From the moment he stepped out of the TARDIS, she hadn’t been acting like herself. There was nervousness in her eyes, as if just him being there was a bomb waiting to go off._

_“Are you cross with me?” he asked._

_River shook her head, now refusing to look at him all together. He looked her up and down, worried she might be hurt or being threatened by someone. It was then that he noticed how tight her dress was. He’d seen her in that gray dress so many times, and it’d never fit her like that before. Well, except for…_ Oh.

_He approached her, his suspicion clear in his mind, but unsure how to confirm it. He’d learned quickly after that one woman yelled at him that asking the question outright was ill-advised, and god knows what River would do to him if he was wrong._

_“River…” he said, gently placing a hand on her back, “Tell me.”_

_River briefly glanced up at him, but quickly returned to staring off in the distance. She couldn’t put off this conversation forever, but they hadn’t even had a chance to do diaries yet, and the last time she saw him he’d only just kissed her for the first time. God knows where he was now…_

_Still, if she didn’t work up the courage now, she may never do it. Swallowing her nerves, River took his free hand and placed it on her newly swollen belly. It wasn’t long before they both felt the small jolt, unmistakably the kick of a tiny foot. Bracing herself for his reaction, River closed her eyes and tried to keep a steady breath._

_The quiet that surrounded them was deafening. Time ticked by unbearably slowly. She longed for him to say something, or even just walk away. The waiting was worse than anything._

_Finally, there was a shift in the Doctor’s posture. His hand still under hers, he knelt down until he was at about eye-level with River’s bump._

_“Hello,” he said._

_Noting the gentleness in his voice, River’s eyes opened, and she looked down at him. His smile, the look of joy in his eyes…_

_He looked up at her. “Do you know what it is?”_

_Quietly letting out a breath of relief, River smiled and was unable to stop tears from stinging in her eyes. “The scans say it’s a girl.”_

_Seeing the tears, the Doctor took his hand off her belly and stood up. “Are you alright?” he asked, worriedly._

_“Fine,” River grinned as she wiped the tears away, “Hormones. The crying just… happens sometimes.”_

_Furrowing his brow, the Doctor leaned back down to River’s bump. “Have you been making your mummy cry? You should really be nicer to her. She’s doing quite a lot for you, you know.”_

_River let out a breathy laugh. Once again, she took his hand any placed it on her belly._

_“I think she likes your voice,” she said as they both felt the kicks._

_The Doctor grinned. He stood up and kissed her cheek. “You’re going to be an amazing mummy.”_

\--

The sound of the sonic screwdriver echoed through the walls, along with River’s labored breathing. A few hours had passed, and they were no closer to finding the exit. Thankfully, they also hadn’t found any more chirtatas, but judging by the closeness of River’s contractions, it might not be long before that changes. The Doctor was becoming more frustrated the more the window of time they had grew shorter. No matter how many times he scanned the walls, he couldn’t find any kind of mechanism or secret passageway they could use to escape. There had to be something. There _had_ to. If the legends were to be believed, the princess had to have some secret way of coming and going.

A pained cry from River made the Doctor turn his head. Amy and Rory had gone to scout ahead, so it was just the two of them now. With the light of the torch getting dimmer, it was harder to see her now that she was out of the bright jumpsuit, but with her water having broken, she’d needed a change of clothes. Luckily, she’d had her gray dress in her bag.

“You know, it wouldn’t kill you to _not_ throw yourself into the most dangerous thing you could find,” the Doctor said, his frustration seeping into his voice.

River looked up at him. “What?”

“You needed to be cleared by your obstetrician to come here, and when she refused you forged the paperwork.” He walked closer to her. “Why the hell would you do that? Was this _really_ so important that you couldn’t wait until _after_ you had your baby to throw yourself into danger?!”

“Seriously?” She glared at him. “You want to do this _now?”_

“Yes! _This_ close to your due date, and you decided it would be a good idea to join an expedition to a place like this!” His voice raised the more he spoke. “Why? Why would you _deliberately_ -”

“Why do you _think?!”_ River snapped, “What was the alternative? Waiting to go into labor at Stormcage? Give birth in chains? They would’ve taken her from me immediately! At least if I wasn’t in prison I co-”

She paused, wincing in pain. The Doctor’s expression began to soften as he processed this. Of course that was protocol. Stormcage housed the worst of the worst. There’s no way they’d allow River the courtesy of keeping her child.

“I didn’t know about the chirtatas. I would’ve gone somewhere else if I-” Gritting her teeth, she fought to keep talking through the contraction. “I just wanted to hold my baby. And have you with me. I only came on this expedition because I knew you’d be here. You told me-” She cried out, gripping her belly as her legs gave out from under her. Acting quickly, the Doctor caught her and gently guided her to the ground.

“Ok, ok,” he said, his tone now gentle as he took hold of her hand, “Breathe. Just breathe, River.”

Squeezing his hand uncomfortably tight, River continued with the deep, slow breaths. After a moment, her grip eased, and she looked up at the Doctor.

“Less than a minute between contractions,” she said, her voice shaky, “I don’t have much-”

“It’s alright, River,” the Doctor interrupted.

“I’m going to give birth in a maze infested with starving chirtatas. Can’t get more _not alright_ than that!” Her voice grew in franticness the more she spoke. “Some mother I am, failing her before she’s even-”

“River, you’re panicking.”

“Yes, I’m panicking! Seems like the perfect time to-!”

“No, no! River, listen…” He hesitated. He knew full well he was about to break his own rules, but it was the only way he could think to calm her down. “… Just listen.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “It’s going to be ok. _The baby’s_ going to be ok. We’re going to get out of here, and she’s going to be ok. More than ok. She’s going to be… brilliant.”

Noticing the grin on his face, River’s heartrates began to steady. “You’ve met her.”

The Doctor winked. Technically he’d only seen her picture, but now wasn’t the time to get into technicalities. “Oh River… She has such beautiful, red hair. The ultimate ginger...” He smirked to himself. “And she has your eyes. The mischief in those eyes when she smiles… reminds me of someone.”

River grinned and let out a breathy laugh.

“Just wait until you see her,” the Doctor continued, “That girl… _your_ girl… she’s so, _so_ beautiful.” Bringing her hand to his lips, he gave her knuckles a gentle kiss.

“Thank you,” River sighed, significantly calmer.

Before anything else could be said, frantic footsteps could be heard making their way toward them. Within seconds, Amy and Rory appeared, out of breath and without their torches.

“We found the way out!” Amy exclaimed.

A glimmer of hope sparked inside of both the Doctor and River. Part of them weren’t convinced they heard right.

“You’re sure?” the Doctor asked.

“Yes!”

“Leave the torches!” Rory added, “Come on, let’s get out of here!”

With that, the Doctor helped River to her feet, keeping his arm around her to help her walk. Following Amy and Rory, they soon found themselves in total darkness. For a moment, they thought that spark of hope had been wasted, until they turned a corner and saw a soft, glowing red light in the distance.

“We thought we heard more of those chirta-whatevers, and we accidentally dropped our torches,” Amy explained, “Must’ve been rocks falling or something.”

“Once the lights went out, we saw these… these glowing rocks in the ceiling.”

The four of them walked closer. Indeed, there were glowing gemstones embedded in the ceiling. Rubies, judging by the color.

“They lead right to the way out,” Rory continued, “Right back to the TARDIS.”

The relief that filled the air was instantaneous. The Doctor and River both let out a laugh as they stared up at the glowing rubies.

“The Ruby Tunnels,” the Doctor mused, “Turn out the lights and let the rubies guide your way. Everything here must be light sensitive; corridors opening and closing when hit with any light stronger than the rubies.”

“The perfect failsafe,” River added.

Without wasting another minute, the four of them hurriedly followed the glow of the rubies. After about twenty minutes of walking, they were greeted by a different kind of light; the light of the setting sun. Stepping out of the tunnels, it was just a few more yards before they were back in the TARDIS.

“Next stop, Sisters of the Infinite Schism!” the Doctor announced as he helped River up the steps to the console, “Greatest hospital in the universe!”

“I’m familiar,” River nodded. She let go of the Doctor and started typing in the coordinates.

“You’re not flying the TARDIS while you’re in labor!” the Doctor protested.

“I’d like to get where we’re supposed to be going, thank you!” River argued back. With a flip of a switch, they began to enter the vortex. Despite the Doctor’s efforts, she wouldn’t step away from the controls, only pausing every so often when a contraction hit.

Minutes later, River stopped completely. Her breath hitched, and she gripped the console so hard her knuckles were turning white.

“Doctor…” she breathed, “Land the TARDIS.”

Confused, the Doctor checked the monitor. “We haven’t arrived-”

“LAND HER _NOW!”_

Startled, the Doctor looked over at her. Seeing her face, he suddenly understood. His brain seemed to freeze for a minute, as he briefly blanked on everything from what controls to activate, to how to move his arms.

“Yes, ok! Landing now!” he hurriedly agreed. Flipping a switch, the ship shook from the sudden landing. The Doctor took a quick look at the monitor. “September 3rd, 5137! Lovely day for a birthday! Let’s go have a baby!”

Putting an arm around her, he hurriedly but carefully helped River walk. Amy and Rory stared at him, their brows furrowed in confusion as they watched him lead her to the stairs.

“Uh, door’s this way,” Rory informed him, pointing to the exit.

“No time for that!” River hoarsely replied.

The Doctor quickly turned his head and gestured to the Ponds to follow them. “Medical bay’s this way!”

\--

River’s grip on the Doctor and Amy’s hands grew tighter. She cried out in pain as she threw her head back against the exam table’s headrest.

“Baby’s starting to crown!” Rory announced.

Looking between River’s legs, the Doctor gave her hand a reassuring squeezing.

“Incredible. You really should see this!”

Opening her eyes, River glared at him. “I’m a bit _busy_ right now, dear.”

Realizing his mistake, the Doctor turned his attention back to her. “Right…”

As another contraction hit, River started pushing again. As her face further contorted in pain, Amy put her free hand on her shoulder.

“You’re doing great,” she said, hoping she was being comforting. In all honesty, she didn’t have a clue what to do or say. Why the Doctor insisted she stay was beyond her. Out of her nurse husband, and the Doctor being… well, _the Doctor_ , she was surely the most useless in this situation. Her only experiences in this area were that time they were stuck between dreams, and the short period of time a few months back when she mistakenly thought she was pregnant.

“Alright, just a few more,” Rory assured River.

Sure enough, after a few more, agonizing minutes, the medical bay filled with the sound of a baby’s first cry. A mix of joy and relief seemed to fill the room as Rory held up the crying newborn. Letting go of the Doctor and Amy’s hands, River tried to catch her breath as her daughter was placed in her arms. As tired as she was, she found herself smiling.

“Hello my love,” she breathed.

Looking down at the baby, the Doctor smiled too. Without thinking, he reached out and touched one of her tiny hands, allowing the little one to wrap her tiny fist around his finger. He looked to River, and she looked up at him. No words were spoken, but their smiles and the look in their eyes said all that was needed.

As this moment was shared between them, Rory quietly took Amy aside.

“Hope that didn’t scar you too much,” Rory joked.

Amy chuckled. “Nope. Hand’s bruised, though.” She held up the hand in question, massaging it with the other. “You’ll have that to look forward to, when it’s our go.”

“Looking forward to it.” He turned around, getting the supplies he needed to clamp and cut the umbilical cord.

Not long later, the baby was cleaned and wrapped in a soft blanket. While still in River’s arms, Rory checked over the baby. When he took out the stethoscope, it seemed to bring with it a lingering feeling of tension. He put the diaphragm to the baby’s chest, and everyone waited.

“Two hearts,” he confirmed.

There was a pause. Everyone, especially River, waited for the Doctor to react.

“I figured,” he admitted.

River forced herself to look at him. “Is that ok?”

Another pause. He looked down at the baby, now asleep in River’s arms. A smile crept across his face.

“Yeah.” Bending down, he gave his daughter a gentle kiss.

A breath of relief was felt throughout the room.

“So, don’t keep us waiting,” Amy piped up, “What’s her name?”

River grinned, looking back down at her daughter. “Cecilia.”

The Doctor took a moment to take that in. “Cecilia,” he quietly repeated, “Cecilia Song.”

River looked back up at him. “Do you want to hold her?”

The Doctor nodded. Ever so gently, he took the baby from River’s arms. He studied her closely, taking in every last detail about her.

“Hello,” he said.

Many thoughts went through his head. He was a father again. Even if her conception was still in his future, there was no denying that she was his. He thought of his children born on Gallifrey, of Susan, of Jenny. All were lost to him, yet he saw them in Cecilia’s face. It was a bittersweet feeling. Never did he think he’d be a father again, but here he was. Cecilia Song was his daughter.

After a moment, Cecilia stirred and began to open her eyes. It was then that the Doctor’s smile faded. The picture of teenage Cecilia flashed through his mind, followed by River’s own words, the words she hadn’t yet spoke: _“She was only a few years older than my daughter.”_

The events of that day flashed through his mind. The Vashta Nerada. CAL. River’s sacrifice. The infant in his arms would grow into a teenager, and the teenager would grow into the young woman who would lose her mother. The day would come that her world would shatter, that he’ll have to look into those green eyes and tell her that her mother… that he knew… that all he could do was…

“Doctor?”

Suddenly back to the present, he found himself looking down into River’s worried eyes. He looked around, seeing the same worry in Amy and Rory. Clearly, they’d all noticed his change in demeanor. He looked back to River, then to Cecilia. It was too much. Without saying a word, he handed the baby back to River, before turning around and leaving the medical bay.

“Doctor!” River called after him. He didn’t respond, stop, or look back. “Doctor!”


	3. Family Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Children have been going missing from an intergalactic boarding school. It’s up to the Doctor to figure out why, but the presence of a little redhead girl makes things complicated.

The playground was abuzz with activity, the shouts and laughter of children filling the air. A small crowd had gathered around the temporary chain link fence, its purpose to separate the children from the workers as they set up the small fairground. Though this separation caused the playground’s neighboring field to be cut in half, the children didn’t mind having less room to play. Soon enough, they’d have all those tents and simple rides to explore. What’s more, they’d get to explore these novelties with their families. The school year was only a few months in, but that was still a few months they’d been away from their parents. The thrill of the upcoming fair added to the joy of knowing they’d be seeing their parents soon filled the students with jovial anticipation.

Every student, except one. The eight-year-old redhead stood atop the play structure, mostly lost in her own thoughts as her friends went on about Family Day.

“Do you think there’ll be roller coasters?” the human-looking boy, Sorsha, asked.

“We’d see them by now if there were,” Tanlumi, the girl with the skin of shiny, lavender scales pointed out, her yellow, snake-like eyes narrowing in the sunlight, “Those kind of roller coasters aren’t safe, anyway.”

“Who says so, your dad?” Nyx asked, rolling all six of her eyes, her tendril-like antennas trembling in the breeze.

“Yes! He owns the largest theme park in the galaxy! He always says ride that have to-!”

“Have to be taken apart over and over aren’t going to be up to code,” Sorsha finished for her, his annoyance strong in his voice, “You’re just jealous because you won’t be allowed on any rides tomorrow.”

Tanlumi huffed. “They look boring, anyway. At my dad’s park-”

“It doesn’t feel right to still be having Family Day,” Cecilia finally spoke up, “Ithel and Harlow are still missing.”

“Canceling Family Day won’t make them come home,” Nyx said.

“It still feels wrong. Everyone’s so excited, they’ve forgotten about them.”

“You’re just upset because no one’s coming for you tomorrow,” Sorsha accused, “You wouldn’t care if you had any family.”

“Yes, I would, and I _do-_ ” She spun around, kicking Sorsha in the shin, “-have family!”

The young boy yelped before falling to the ground. Though still in pain, he glared up at his assailant.

“We all know your mom’s in prison, Cecilia!”

“You don’t know anything!”

“You don’t have anyone else! You’re always on about your dad and his traveling blue box, but you never-”

A faint noise caught Cecilia’s attention. She shushed her friend, standing still for a moment as she concentrated her hearing. A spark of hope in both her hearts, she rushed over to the telescopes that were built into the play structure; they were so primitive, but they’d do. She looked around, trying hard to get a view of the grounds beyond the school’s walls. Sure enough, the police box was starting to materialize in the distance.

“Don’t follow me,” she told her friends as she hurried away, grinning from ear to ear. Ignoring their questions, she slid down the nearby slide, quickly making it to ground level. She then made her way through the crowded playground, making sure to keep a fast – but not too fast – pace. The last thing she wanted was to be noticed.

As she speed-walked, Cecilia glanced up at the sky. Security drones were always flying overhead, making sure none of the children were doing exactly what she was planning, but if she timed her speed correctly, she’d reach where she needed to be just in time for there to be a blind spot in their monitoring. This would normally be an impossible feat for a child, but Cecilia, of course, was far from a normal child.

Just as she’d calculated, Cecilia reached the hedges in exactly the right moment. Ducking down, as if to pick up something she’d dropped, she crawled under the hedges, doing her best to ignore the low branches that snagged at her uniform and exposed skin. Once on the other side, she pressed herself against the stone wall, and shimmied her way down the tight space between the wall and the hedge. After a moment, her hand brushed against a sheet of rusted metal. Grinning to herself, she reached for the knob and pushed open the door, needing to give a little extra force to compensate for the age and disuse of its hinges.

The room inside was small, just tall enough for her to fit inside. It actually wasn’t even a room, more of an old, forgotten storage compartment. A few old, moldy-smelling balls and jump ropes still littered the floor, waiting in vain to be discovered once more. Cecilia’s gaze fell to a small window – or was it an air vent? – on the wall across from her. The space allowed for a small amount of light to shine in, but other than that, it was completely dark.

Making sure to close the door behind her, Cecilia went over to the tiny window. Seeing the blue box still out there, she grinned as she grabbed hold of the stone slabs that surrounded the gap. As much as she wanted to just push them onto the ground, she knew it best to remove them gently. If too much damage was noticed, the school would send for repairs, and her secret escape route would be compromised.

As heavy as the stones were, Cecilia found that her excitement made her strong. Once the gap was large enough to fit through, she pulled herself up and pushed her way through, landing on her hands on the other side. Crouching down, she again looked at the sky, making sure she was correct in calculating the next blind spot. Now sure that she was out of sight, she sprinted as fast as her legs would carry her.

\--

“The hiking trails of Rakyos 12 hold some of the best scenery this side of the galaxy,” the Doctor said as he, Amy, and Rory stepped out of the TARDIS. The Ponds were each equipped with large backpacks, big enough to hold a couple days’ worth of supplies. The Doctor said they’d only be gone a few hours, but given their track record, they thought to air on the side of caution this time.

“A few miles it, there’s a waterfall that reflects the largest rainbow you’ve ever seen!” the Doctor continued, still oblivious to their surroundings, “Make sure to steer clear of any vines more than six inches thick, as they’re probably snakes. Very venomous snakes. Other than that, though, the wildlife is surprisingly-”

“Uh, Doctor,” Amy interrupted, “I think we’ve landed in the wrong place.”

“Again,” Rory added.

The Time Lord stopped, looking around at the landscape. “Ah… Appears we have.” He bent down, picking up a small pinch of soil and plopping it into his mouth. “Dalon. This planet is Dalon. 49th century, by the looks of it.” Looking up, his eyes were drawn to a building in the distance. “That over there is Centaurus Intergalactic Institute.”

“What’s that, a prison?” Amy asked.

“No, a primary school. Why would the TARDIS bring us to a primary school?”

“Uh…” Rory piped up, his eyes locked on something the Doctor hadn’t yet seen, “I’m guessing _that’s_ why.”

The Doctor looked across the landscape, finally seeing what Rory saw. His stomach dropped. Fast approaching was a little girl, a smile plastered on her face and red hair blowing in the wind.

“Cecilia…”

The little girl’s smile grew as she heard him say her name. “Daddy!”

At long last, she reached him, her arms instantly wrapping around him. His body stiff, the Doctor looked to Amy and Rory. He truly didn’t know what to do.

\--

The halls were full as the children made their way back to their classrooms. A few teachers hurried past all the students, murmuring about “Where has she gone this time?”

In just minutes, the halls were clear again, save for a few stragglers. One girl left the bathroom, heading down a route that was mostly empty. The bell rang, alerting that class was to start again, and she quickened her pace.

Just as she turned the corner, something caught her eye. A stone statue stood near the drinking fountain; one she was certain hadn’t been there before lunch.

As she pondered whether it was a decoration set out for Family Day, a mechanical whirring came from behind her. She turned around, seeing the familiar robonoid hall monitor.

“Please get to class, _Ava Collingwood,_ ” it spoke with its computerized voice.

“I’m on my way now,” she said, “Sorry.”

“Apology accepted, _Ava Collingwood_. Please get to class.” With that, it teleported away.

Ava turned around, intending to do as she was told, but stopped in her tracks when she saw it. Just a foot away from her was the statue, its face now uncovered and contorted into a monstrous form. Ava gasped, intending to scream, but before she could, she blinked.

\--

“What exactly are you doing out of school?” the Doctor asked. He’d taken Cecilia inside the TARDIS, and she was now seated on the cushioned chair near the console.

“I saw the TARDIS, so I came to see you,” Cecilia explained.

“Centaurus Institute houses the children of the most important people in the universe. Their security systems wouldn’t just let you leave.”

“Are you forgetting whose daughter she is?” Amy chimed in.

Cecilia grinned. “How long will you be here for?”

“Long enough to take you back to school, then we’re leaving.”

Cecilia’s smile faded. “I thought you’d come for Family Day… It’s tomorrow. Can’t you stay until then?”

“No, we’re very busy.”

“Doing what?”

The Doctor didn’t answer right away. “We can’t stay. I’m sorry Cecilia, but-”

“But what about the missing children?”

The Doctor blinked. “What?”

“Two of my classmates are missing. Ithel disappeared on a school trip, and then Harlow went missing from campus a few days later. No one knows what happened to them.” She put on her best pleading face before continuing. “If you’re not here for me, then could you at least find them?”

\--

Cecilia rummaged through the box of cardboard, trying to find what she needed. Most of the best pieces seemed to have already been taken, but she was determined to make do with what she had.

“I’m surprised to see you participating today,” her art teacher said, coming up from behind her, “You’ve been refusing to participate all month.”

“I didn’t want to make something just to have no one to show it to,” Cecilia explained as she continued to rummage, “But now my dad’s coming for Family Day!”

“I’m happy to hear that, Cecilia, but the project what supposed to take a month. I’m afraid you won’t be finished in time for tomorrow.”

Cecilia stopped and looked up at her teacher, a big smile on her face. “I can do it.”

Before the teacher could respond, an alarm sounded throughout the building. The shutters on the windows immediately closed and locked, and the echo of every door in the building locking sounded throughout the halls. Cecilia’s hearts sank as the realization hit her. Another child had gone missing.

\--

The Doctor continued to pull away at the controls of the TARDIS. He hadn’t realized how long he’d been at it until Amy walked in. She and Rory had said they were going to bed some time ago, which meant it must be morning now.

“If you’re going to ask if I’ve found anything yet, the answer is no,” the Doctor said, frustration in his voice, “These disappearances don’t make sense. There’s no notes, no ransoms, no trace of them anywhere. There’s not even any connection between the children, other than the school. Usually when children of the rich go missing there’s some kind of ransom, but-”

“How come you’re still here?” Amy interrupted.

The Doctor finally looked up at her. “What?”

“Family Day, remember? You should’ve been there an hour ago.”

“Amy, this is important. A third child went missing last night! I can’t just-”

“What about _your_ child?” she reminded him, “Cecilia’s waiting for you.”

“She’s the one who wanted me to find these kids. She’ll be fine.” Wanting that to be the end of it, he turned back to the monitor. Her eyes narrowing, Amy walked up next to him.

“Ok, Doctor, what’s this really about?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, still not looking at her.

“When we saw River last month, you kept denying that you were her baby’s father. Then when she had the baby, you were happy and admitted she was yours. _Then_ you suddenly ran off, and I found you crying under the console.” She continued to eye him, hoping his face would give off any kind of explanation. “What’s going on? Is it the shock of being a dad for the first time, or-”

“Amelia,” he interrupted, “…She’s… I’m not…”

Amy’s face fell, a small part of the puzzle starting to come together. “She’s not your first child, is she?”

He didn’t answer.

“When you said you lost your people… Doctor, I’m so sorry.” She reached out, putting a comforting hand on top of his. “I can’t imagine… Is that why you’re running from her?”

He hesitated. “It’s not Cecilia I’m running from.”

“Then what is it? River? Cecilia shouldn’t have to miss out on having a father just because you have issues with her mother.”

It went silent again. Pulling his hand away, the Doctor went back to work.

“You’ve been working all night,” Amy said, “Take a few hours off and spend some time with your daughter. You deserve it. You _both_ do.”

He didn’t respond. Amy waited a minute, but he was determined to ignore her presence.

“Fine, then.”

She turned around and started to walk away, but suddenly stopped in her tracks. A memory hit her, one of another little girl who waited in vain for the Doctor. Closing her eyes, a wave of forgotten feelings washing over her. All those years, all that waiting. She knew all too well what it was like to be a lonely little girl. Opening her eyes, she walked back to the Doctor.

“Give me your psychic paper.”

Confused, the Doctor finally looked up at her. “Why?”

“Given all the disappearances, I’m guessing you need some kind of ID to get into Family Day,” she said, “Psychic paper. Now.”

\--

The steps to the school were heavy with traffic, parents, children, and teachers constantly coming and going. Cecilia tried to stay out of the way, almost as hard as she tried not to give into despair. She’d put on her favorite dress – the one she chose specifically for its beautiful shade of dark blue – and matching headband just for the occasion. She looked out at the crowds of people, hoping to see her father’s face, but the more strangers she saw, the more her hope faded.

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she looked up to see her art teacher.

“I’m sorry, Cecilia,” she said, “Maybe he’s just running late.”

Cecilia sighed, trying her best to hide her annoyance. “He has a time machine. He could’ve been on time if he wanted to.”

The teacher gave her an apologetic look and pat her shoulder before walking away. Looking back at the crowd, Cecilia decided to scan for faces one last time. If she didn’t see him, she would _definitely_ just go to the library this time. She’d drown herself in books and make herself forget all about Family Day, like she’d originally planned.

As she reached the end of her scanning cycle, her eyes immediately lit up. A familiar face had come for her after all! More specifically, two familiar faces! Her hearts alight with relief and joy, she practically jumped from the steps, running the whole way over to them.

“You came!” she said, wrapping her arms around Amy and Rory.

“We’re sorry we’re late,” Rory said.

Letting go of them, Cecilia took a step back. “Where’s dad?”

“He’s still working on finding the missing kids,” Amy explained, “He’s _very_ close, so he told us to go ahead and he’ll catch up later.”

Grinning, Cecilia took hold of their hands. “Come on, I wanna show you my art project!”

\--

The hours passed, and the sun was almost completely gone from the sky. The Ponds sat with Cecilia in the school’s cafeteria, eating dinner alongside the other families.

“This place is very posh,” Amy remarked as she cut into a stuffed salmon fillet, “We never had food like this when we were in school.”

“Everyone here is rich. They like fancy things,” Cecilia said, distractedly poking at her food. She lifted her head, concern in her eyes as she met the gaze of the two adults. “Are you sure dad’s coming?”

There was a brief silence. Amy looked to Rory, hoping he’d have an answer that would satisfy the little girl.

“We can’t keep it from her any longer,” he said.

Amy sighed and nodded. She looked back to Cecilia, putting a hand on top of hers.

“Ok, look, Cecilia…” she paused, trying to decide how best to say is. “You know about your mum’s diary, yeah?”

Cecilia nodded.

“And do you know why she has it?”

“Because she and dad never meet in the right order.” Her eyes stayed locked on Amy, waiting for her to say more. After a moment, it hit her what she was trying to say. “Oh…” Her head lowered and she pulled her hand away. “He doesn’t know me yet, does he?”

“No,” Amy admitted, “I’m sorry. The last time we saw you, you’d only just been born.”

Cecilia sighed, still not looking at Amy or Rory. “He’s never not known me before…”

Amy and Rory glanced at each other, a shared sadness in their eyes. They moved their chairs closer to Cecilia, so they sat on either side of her.

“The Doctor – your dad… he loves you, Cecilia. I know he does,” Amy assured her, “He’s just… scared.”

“Scared of me?” Cecilia asked, raising her head to give her a confused look.

“No, not of you. I don’t know what he’s scared of exactly, but… I know it’s not you.”

“But if it’s not me, then why…”

“We really don’t know, Cecilia,” Rory said, “But Amy’s right, your dad loves you. And we love you too.”

Amy nodded. “I’m sorry your dad isn’t here. But, the thing about us traveling with him is that it makes him part of our family. So, you being his daughter means you’re part of our family too.”

Cecilia smiled. Both Ponds hugged her, and she buried her face in Amy’s shoulder. For a moment, she almost felt as if she was hugging her mother.

As the three of them pulled apart, Cecilia spotted something behind Amy. Her brow furrowed in bewilderment.

“That wasn’t there a moment ago.”

Curious, Amy turned her head. Seeing the old statue just yards away, its hands buried in its face, her stomach dropped. For a moment, she thought she was going to see her fillet again.

“Rory, don’t take your eyes off that thing!” she ordered, “Don’t even blink! I’ll be right back.”

Getting up from her seat, she hurried to the relative quiet of the hallway. Pulling out her phone, she dialed the direct number to the TARDIS. It rang way too many times for her liking before the Doctor finally answered.

“Hello-”

“Doctor, listen to me. You need to get over here _now_ ,” she ordered, her voice low as to not startle any potential passers-by, “There’s a Weeping Angel in the school. I think it’s what’s been taking the kids.”

There was silence on the other end, like it took a minute for the Time Lord’s mind to fully process this.

“Amy, get Cecilia as far away from it as possible!” he said, panic clear in his voice, “Don’t let it take anyone else! I’m on my way.”

He then hung up without a word. Hurrying back into the cafeteria, Amy urged Cecilia to get out of her seat.

“Come on, we have to go!”

“Why?” Cecilia asked, more confused than ever. Before Amy could respond, Cecilia turned her head to look back at the angel. She let out a gasp, seeing that it lifted its head. “It’s a Weeping Angel! I’ve read about them before!”

Her hearts and mind raced. Breaking away from the older woman, she sprinted over to the fire alarm. Knowing no one in the building was safe, she pulled the lever, causing the alarm to blare. Amy hurried over to her, now with Rory in tow, and the three of them rushed down the halls.

“I don’t understand,” Cecilia thought aloud as everyone raced to evacuate, “The angel should’ve come for me, but it was after someone else! It should’ve sensed all my time energy!”

“It doesn’t matter,” Amy said, “Right now, just focus on getting off campus.”

“Are either of you going to tell me what we’re running from?” Rory asked.

“The statue in there isn’t a statue,” Amy explained, “It’s a Weeping Angel. The Doctor and I have run into them before.”

“They send you back in time so they can feed off your time energy,” Cecilia added. Realizing something, she stopped in her tracks. “Is that what happened to the missing kids? The angel sent them back in time?”

“Don’t stop, we have to move!” Amy said as she grabbed her and forced her to move along, “Your dad said we have to get you _far_ away from that thing!”

“But it _should’ve_ come for me! Why hasn’t it come for me?”

“Just be glad it hasn’t,” Rory urged.

The whole of the school gathered in the playground and surrounding fields, trickling into the now empty fair. Amy and Rory tried to make their way off campus with Cecilia, but the crowds were too thick. Keeping a tight grip on the girl, they tried to fight through, but Cecilia suddenly froze, letting out a horrified gasp. Underneath one of the floodlights, the angel stood with its face in its hands. Before she could even remember not to blink, a small group walked in front of her, obstructing her view. When they cleared away, it had already moved. Fearing the worst, she scanned the crowed and found it again. To her surprise and horror, it still wasn’t her it was hunting.

“Sorsha!” she cried out, seeing that it had her friend backed against one of the temporary fences. Adrenaline pumping through her veins, she managed to break free from Amy and Rory.

“Cecilia!” Amy cried out. She tried to follow her, but the crowd already had her backed in.

The young girl’s hearts were pounding as she ran. She had no idea what to do, but knew she had to do _something_. Hoping to get its attention, she picked a rock up from the ground and threw it as hard as she could, watching as it hit the angel in the back of the head.

“OI! ANGEL!” she called out. Knowing she was taking a big risk, she allowed herself to blink. The angel had turned its head to her. She had its attention.

“You’re not taking my friend!” she declared. She hoped she sounded brave, but she was shaking. Her parents always made the heroics look so easy. “You took the others, didn’t you? You took Ithel, Harlow, and Ava. Angels don’t usually take children; our futures are too uncertain at this stage. You must be starving…” She paused, feeling a bit dizzy from all her quick, frantic breaths. “You don’t want these kids. You can’t know how many years you’ll get out of them. You… You should take me instead! I’m a Time Lady. We get thirteen lifetimes. We can live for hundreds and hundreds of years, and I’m only eight years old. I’ll be a nice meal for you.” She paused again, feeling hesitant to speak her next words. “I’ll let you take me, as long as you leave everyone else alone. You won’t need them after you take me, anyway. Does… Does that sound good?”

There was a pause. The crowd around her seemed to stop as well. Suddenly, the floodlights flickered, going out completely for a couple seconds. When they came back on, the angel had turned away from Sorsha and was making its way towards Cecilia. The young Time Lady’s breath trembled. She’d wanted this for so long – to be the one to save the day – but now she wished it had fallen to someone else.

_It’ll be ok,_ she desperately thought to herself, _You’ll find a way home… somehow… maybe…_

Another flicker of the lights, and the angel was only a few feet away. She wanted to run, but her legs wouldn’t move. Fighting back a sob, she squeezed her eyes shut, hoping she’d at least end up some place habitable. The angel’s hand was just inches from her face, she could feel it.

Suddenly, something grabbed her. Not a stone hand, but flesh. Scooping her up, the mystery person darted off with her. Opening her eyes, Cecilia was overwhelmed with relief.

“Daddy!”

Grinning at her, the Doctor stopped running, putting her down on the ground.

“What do we do?” Cecilia asked, her hearts still pounding away inside her.

“You’re going to evacuate with everyone else,” he told her, “I’ll deal with the angel.” He reached into his coat, pulling out his sonic. “Do you know how to use this?”

“No.”

“Take it anyway,” he said as he shoved the screwdriver into her hand, “Go now!”

Nodding in obedience, she took off running. The main exit was still too crowded, but there was still her secret passage. Turning past the play structure, she stopped in her tracks, letting out a scream. The angel had found her.

Panting heavily, she started to back away, adrenaline and fear being the only things keeping her standing. The cool, night air already stung her eyes as she struggled not to blink.

Suddenly, she fell backwards. The time it took for her to lift her head was enough for the angel to come closer to her, again now only feet away. Cecilia felt around, trying to figure out what it was that tripped her.

_The slide!_

It was the same slide she slid down the day before, when she ran off to find her dad. Before that, she’d been watching the fair being put up with her friends. Remembering a specific attraction, she scrambled to her feet, an idea forming in her head. Making sure to give herself a head start, she kept her eyes locked on the angel as she hurriedly backed up.

“If you want me, then come get me!”

With that, she spun around and went running towards the fair. Her legs started to burn as she reached the colorful tents, but she forced herself to keep going. The angel was close behind, she could sense it.

Finally, she made it to her destination. Her hearts instantly sank, seeing that the lights had been turned off.

_The sonic!_ She remembered.

Hurrying inside, she did her best to recall the layout. She’d gone through it a couple times earlier in the day, once with Amy and Rory, and a few more times with her friends. Once she felt she was a good ways inside, she turned around. Her eyes having adjusted a bit to the darkness, she could make out a figure in the doorway.

_Wait for the perfect moment,_ she told herself.

There was a ringing in her ears as she backed up against the wall. Despite what her survival instincts were telling her, she forced herself to blink. The angel was closer now. Her hands shaking, she held the screwdriver over her head, hoping beyond hope that this would work. Squeezing her eyes shut, she quickly pressed the button, the sonic _whirrrr_ sounding like music to her ears. She hyperventilated for a moment before working up the courage to open her eyes, but when she did, the lights were on and the angel was standing in front of her. And behind her. And next to her. Looking around, she wanted to say something clever, but instead opted to leave the house of mirrors as quickly as possible.

As she stepped outside, she was immediately met with the sound of frantic footsteps. She turned her head, seeing the Doctor, Amy, and Rory running in her direction. The sight of them seemed to trigger something inside of her, as she found herself dropping the sonic and falling to her knees, finally letting out the sob she’d been fighting.

“Cecilia!” the Doctor called out.

She didn’t move. She was shaking too much. Before she realized what was happening, she found herself wrapped in his arms.

“It’s ok, I’ve got you,” he assured her.

Cecilia wrapped her arms around him in return, almost afraid that if she let go, he’d disappear. She buried her face in his chest and continued to sob.

“Where’s the angel?” he asked.

Still sniffling, Cecilia lifted her head and pointed to the building behind her. Seeing _House of Mirrors!_ in big, neon letters, he first reacted in confusion. As it dawned on him what she’d done, his face lit up and he let out a proud laugh.

“Brilliant!” he said, “Absolutely brilliant!”

Though still crying, Cecilia somehow managed a smile. She once again wrapped her arms around her father, and he proudly hugged her back.

\--

The console clinked and clanked as the Doctor messed with the controls. He was nearly done, just needed to make a few more adjustments.

Before he could do so, the sound of soft footsteps made him look up. Seeing the little redhead girl, he smiled.

“How’d you sleep last night?”

“Good,” Cecilia grinned. She skipped down the steps, stopping only once she was next to him. “I half expected you to still be on the phone with mum.”

The Doctor cringed, the long hours he spent on the phone with River coming screaming back to him.

“Cecilia… from now on, maybe we don’t tell your mother _everything_ we get up to,” he said, “For example, letting you run off into the dark with just a screwdriver would be one of those “don’t tell mum” moments. Ok?”

Cecilia giggled. “Ok.” She looked up at the console, rocking on her heals as her smile faded. “Do you have to go?”

Giving her a sad smile, the Doctor bent down to her eye level. “Yeah, I do.”

“I wish you could stay.”

“I know.”

A loud _ding!_ came from behind him. Standing upright, he hurried over to the other side of the console.

“I have a parting gift for you, though,” he revealed, picking up the device the TARDIS conjured.

Cecilia tilted her head as the Doctor handed it to her. “A pen?” Pressing the button on its end, a green light came from its tip, and it emitted a familiar noise.

“A sonic pen!” she exclaimed, her face lighting up, “Thank you!”

She hugged him tightly, and he gladly returned the gesture.

“I have a gift for you, too!” Cecilia said as she pulled away from the hug, “It’s back at the school.”

Taking his hand, she led him out the door. It took a while to get back to the school, but the young girl never lost her vigor.

“We had a project in art class,” she explained as they walked the halls, “The teacher wanted us to make models of our homes and present them to our parents on Family Day.” They turned a corner, walking into the still decorated gymnasium. “I started mine late, so it’s not very good, but I want you to have it.”

The Doctor looked around the tables of art projects with curiosity. He quickly spotted Cecilia’s, recognizing its shape and design as a police call box.

“I think it’s very good,” he grinned, “Finest art I’ve ever seen.”


	4. The Diamond Alignment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor reunites with his daughter for a historic celestial event.

“Nope, I’m fine here,” the fifteen-year-old redhead insisted.

The other girls in the tent pouted. Well, they called it a tent, but by Cecilia’s standards it was a bit fancier than that. Sure, it looked like a tent from the outside, but the inside resembled more of a hotel room, and a luxury one at that. If she remembered her Earth terminology correctly, she suspected this was what 21st century humans would call “glamping.”

“You’re not even gonna _walk_ with us to the concessions?” the girl with the pale blue skin asked, “It’s just _five minutes,_ then we can-”

“No,” Cecilia interrupted, “I don’t mind waiting. Just go, I’m not gonna change my mind.”

A few of her friends audibly sighed. As much as they wanted to, they knew better than to argue beyond this point.

“Ok, back in five minutes.”

“See you in five minutes,” Cecilia smirked.

“How long will it take, again?” one of the other girls sarcastically remarked.

Cecilia watched as they exited, glancing out the mesh window as they made their way through the rows of “tents.” Just beyond the specially reserved accommodations for Eos Academy, she had a clear view of the sea of festivities. She tried to remember the last time she saw so many vendors, thinking it must have been when her mother took her to Chatuchak. Beings from every known star system were gathered just for this, the historic Diamond Alignment. Only once every six thousand years did it happen, all twelve planets in the Amandla Galaxy appearing in perfect alignment. Tonight, it was said, would be extra special, as experts predicted that it would never happen on a night so clear or starry ever again.

_A once in a lifetime event,_ Cecilia thought, _Maybe one day I’ll pop back and see it again._

She smirked at the thought, before heading over to the nook where she stored her stuff. She traveled light compared to her friends, her three bags paling in comparison to the dozen they each brought. As she prepared to open the duffle bag packed with the meals she made, something caught her eye. A brightly colored post-it note was stuck on its side. When did that get there?

Curious, she peeled it off, her immediate realization being that she recognized the handwriting.

_Come find us!_ It said, with a doodle of the TARDIS underneath.

Her hearts aflutter, Cecilia grinned ecstatically as the bag fell from her hand. Having forgotten the agreement with her friends, she rushed out of the tent, stopping only when she realized she had no idea where to look.

_You couldn’t’ve added a little more information?_

Deciding on a random direction, she ventured into the sea of canopy tents. Thousands of people were browsing the markets. At least one of them had to have seen a strange blue box, right?

Once she made her way past all the food – god, the smell was a terrible reminder of how hungry she was – a specific vendor caught her eye. _Oh, he definitely would._ She hurried over, moving straight past the displays of novelty hats as she approached the man behind the register.

“Excuse me, I’m trying to find someone,” she said, her voice polite but also rushed, “Bowtie, tweed jacket, potentially bought a fez. Seen anyone like that?”

“Unfortunately, they don’t have fezzes,” a voice came from behind.

Cecilia spun around, her eyes absolutely lighting up as she saw him.

“Dad!” She rushed over, practically jumping into his arms as she wrapped hers around him. The Doctor spun her in a half-circle as they clung to each other. It seemed they both hadn’t seen each other in quite a while.

“I thought you’d be here!” Cecilia said as she let go, “Just wasn’t sure if it’d be a version that knew me!”

The Doctor grinned. “You’ve grown since I last saw you.”

Cecilia nearly laughed aloud at that. “Must’ve been _way_ in my past, then. I’ve been stuck at 5’2 for over a year.” She glanced behind him, noting that he was alone. “Are Amy and Rory with you?”

“They’re back at the TARDIS. We were about to have a picnic when I saw you were here. Care to join us?”

“Ye-!” She cut herself off, a thought suddenly occurring to her. “Wait, uh… can I bring someone? I don’t know if you’ve met her yet, but she hasn’t met you and I really want her to.”

“Of course!” he agreed. He turned to the side and gestured towards the campgrounds off in the distance. “TARDIS is that way, just past the Jarpion gelatin tent and to the left of a lovely family of fish people. Meet there in twenty minutes?”

“Twenty minutes,” Cecilia agreed.

The Doctor watched, grinning, as she hurried off. She had been correct in guessing their last meeting – from his point of view, at least. She was still little girl then, but this time she was almost identical to the picture he saw at the Byzantium. By that reasoning, he wagered that this was around the time it was taken.

With her out of sight, the Doctor made his way back to the TARDIS. He stood outside its doors, eagerly waiting for her to arrive. Finally, he saw her approach, arm in arm with a girl around her age. The girl with her had long, black-brown hair, and dark, thoughtful eyes. He had intended to greet them, but before he could, he was caught off guard by the TARDIS door slamming into his side. 

“-over an hour!” Amy complained as she and Rory stepped outside, “How long does it take for-”

She stopped as she saw the two girls approach. Managing to put her hangriness aside, she closed the door behind her and smiled at them. “Cecilia! You’ve brought a friend.”

“My girlfriend,” Cecilia corrected, “Dad, Amy, Rory, this is Erica.”

“Hi,” Erica grinned, her voice earnest but with hints of anxiety, “Cecilia’s told me a lot about you. All of you.” Her words were slowly picking up speed. “She told me you travel in time, so I don’t know if you’ve met me already, but, uh, I’m Erica… Which she told you already.”

Doctor grinned back at her. “We haven’t met yet. Nice to meet you, Erica!”

Erica nodded politely, before turning her attention to the TARDIS. “Is that it? The bigger on the inside blue box?”

Cecilia grinned. She reached into the front of her shirt, pulling out a key she kept tied around her neck. “See for yourself.”

Stepping forward, she put the key in the lock and opened the door. The three adults glanced at each other, eager to see the girl’s reaction. Erica followed Cecilia inside, pausing as she laid eyes on it all.

“Oh…” she said, the usual amazement and disbelief in her voice, “Oh, wow. You… weren’t kidding.” She stepped backwards out of the ship, staring at it for a moment before grinning and letting out a breathy laugh. “Awesome.”

\--

Much to the Pond’s relief, they were quick to proceed to the picnic. The five of them sat on the ground, spread out on a blanket just feet away from the police box. By the middle of the meal, the dark-haired girl seemed to get over her intimidation of the adults.

“So, how’d you two end up here?” Rory asked the teenagers, half a sandwich still in his hand.

“School trip,” Cecilia explained.

“Courtesy of the science department,” Erica added, “Educational experience, they said. Though most kids came for the shopping and to get out of school.”

“What’s wrong with that?” Cecilia asked, playfully.

“I take it you like science, Erica?” the Doctor asked.

“It’s why I wanted to go to Eos. That and the robotics club. Both are the best in the galaxies.”

“Where are you from, exactly?” Amy asked, “You look human.”

“I _am_ human,” Erica proudly grinned, “I’m from Earth, originally, but we moved to Hapsut 9 when I was seven. Been there ever since.”

Amy nodded. “My family moved when I was around that age, from Scotland to England.”

“Oh, my dad’s family’s from Scotland! At least according to AncestryAndMe. Dated our genetic line all the way back to the 20th century. Though, Carson _does_ have Scottish origins, so I guess that was a given.” 

The Doctor quickly looked over at her. “Carson… Erica Carson… You wouldn’t happen to be connected to the Carson-Knightly Suites?”

Erica nodded, “Carson Hotels was my dad’s company, and Knightly Suites was my mom’s. They merged after they got married.”

The Doctor grinned, letting out a brief but delighted laugh. “Erica Carson. _You’re_ Erica Carson!”

“Last I checked…”

The Doctor laughed again. “ _The_ Erica Carson; humanitarian, tech genius, founder of-”

_“Spoilers,_ dad!” Cecilia reminded him, before picking up her drink.

Erica looked to the others, quizzically. Amy cleared her throat before speaking to her again.

“So, family’s from Scotland?” she said, hoping to change the subject, “Who knows, maybe we’re related.”

Hearing that, Cecilia accidentally inhaled, causing her drink to go down her windpipe. She coughed violently, the others quickly turning towards her. 

“Are you alright?” the Doctor worriedly asked.

Though still coughing, Cecilia nodded. “Yea-” she tried to say but was cut off by more coughs. She could feel her face turning as red as her hair. “I just-” More coughs got in the way. For a split second, she found herself praying that this wasn’t how she’d regenerate for the first time. “I just, I just remembered-” The coughs started to slow down, and she was able to get more air in her lungs. “-I forgot to tell mum I made it here safe!” She hurried to her feet. “Be right back!”

In her haste to get away, she didn’t realize that her dad was following her. By the time she noticed, she’d already made it back to her tent. Knowing she’d already committed this far, she pulled her backpack out of its nook, and started emptying its contents onto her bed.

The Doctor stood quietly as she did this. Most of what fell out of her bag were things expected of a teenage girl – such as a makeup bag, a wallet, and an Agatha Christie novel – but others were a bit unusual. Alongside the normal things were a medical waste container, a stun baton, and-

“That’s a gun!” the Doctor realized.

Cecilia’s head snapped up. She froze, realizing what she’d just done.

“Uh…” she said, searching her mind for a response.

_Nope, no coming back from that one._

“Why do you have a gun!?”

“Have you met mum?” she found herself saying.

“Your mother gave you a _gun?_ She gave a child a-”

“I’m fifteen! I’m not a child!” Cecilia protested, “And she didn’t just give it to me and tell me to go nuts! I’m trained in how to use it, I’m licensed-”

“You’re still a fifteen-year-old with a _gun!”_

“You think I _want_ to have it?” Cecilia retorted, “Mum _insists_ I carry it! You both have enemies all over time and space, and she says I need to be prepared! I don’t _want_ it! I’ve never used it, and I never _want_ to, but I’m also a fan of being alive!”

The Doctor bit his tongue. As much as he disapproved… he couldn’t disagree. In every corner of the universe – whether it be to spite him, or simply because she was a Time Lady – there waited beings that wouldn’t hesitate to do her harm. Simply existing put her in danger, the Doctor knew this. He _always_ knew this, but admitting it…

At the end of the day, if it ever came down to it… if he had to choose between his own moral stance, or Cecilia staying alive…

He met her gaze, his expression softer than before. “Alright… just… put away.”

Cecilia nodded. There was a heaviness in the air, one they both chose to ignore as she continued to look for her communicator.

\--

The crowd murmured in amazement as all eyes stared up at then night sky. There it was, the perfect alignment. All those planets – three enormous, four about half the size of Earth’s moon, and the other five just slightly larger than the stars – in view for all to see.

“Brilliant,” the Doctor said, mostly to himself, but a bit to the others too, “Take a good look. There will never be a view like this again.”

“It’s beautiful,” Amy breathed.

Rory nodded. “Really makes you feel… small. But not in a bad way. Like… gives you some perspective.”

“Perspective, yeah,” Cecilia agreed, “But I don’t know about small. Make me feel… enormous.” She grinned, thinking quietly to herself for a moment. “I’m going to go out there one day, I’ll see it all. I’ll touch _all_ those stars. The stars… those stars will be mine.”

The Doctor looked over at her. The wonder in her eyes, the determination in her smile. She was so much like him sometimes. It was… terrifying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys are liking this series so far!  
> If you're able to, please consider supporting my Patreon. Every little bit is appreciated, and helps me continue to focus on writing and to bring these stories to you! 😁❤ https://www.patreon.com/cerezsis


	5. Demons Run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Demons run but count the cost. The battle is won, but the child is lost.

_“They’ve taken Amy,” Rory said, his tone serious and full of urgency, “And our baby.”_

_River’s face fell. She was thankful to be facing away. Having to look him in the eye as he said this would’ve been too much._

_“The Doctor’s getting some people together,” he continued as he stepped closer to her, “We’re going after her, but he needs you too.”_

_River hesitated, continuing to face away. It broke her hearts, but she knew what her answer had to be._

_“I can’t.” Finally, she forced herself to face him. “Not yet, anyway.”_

_Rory’s eyes narrowed in a mix of confusion and anger. “I’m sorry?”_

_“This is the battle of Demon’s Run, the Doctor’s darkest hour. He’ll rise higher than ever before and then fall so much further. And… I can’t be with him until the very end.”_

_“Why not?”_

_“Because this is it.” She paused, walking into her cell. “This is the day he finds out who I am.”_

_It was then that Rory understood. This was already in River’s past. The Doctor had explained before the dangers of crossing one’s own timeline. As much as he hated it, he forced himself to accept that River couldn’t help them._

_Something in her eyes worried him. She looked so sad, so distraught. Something was going to happen, either to Amy or their child, and River knew it. He’ll be damned if that would stop him, though. He was going to save them, even if he had to rip time apart to do it._

_Without saying a word, Rory turned around to leave. He made it only a few steps before River spoke again._

_“But someone else has to be there.” There was a hesitation in her voice, like it pained her to have to say it. “You’ll have to make a stop at Eos Academy.”_

\--

Cecilia gripped her weapon, palms sweaty against the rubber coated handle. Just an hour ago, the TARDIS landed outside the dormitory. An hour ago, she was all smiles as she hastily put on her brown leather jacket and ran out the door. Now here she was, standing beside a Sontaran nurse and a mix-matched army, awaiting their cue to board an enemy base.

“Chin up, boy,” Strax told her, “This is to be your first battle. Show some excitement!”

“I’m a girl, Strax,” she reminded him, “And shut up.”

The last bit left her mouth like she was spitting in disgust. Anxiety flooded her veins, and she felt like she might be sick. She knew how to fight, she had all the tools she needed to defend herself, but she was no soldier. Why either of her parents – let alone _both_ – allowed her to be here was beyond her. Her mother especially always tried to keep her away from combat, yet it was her who sent her here!

_She sent you for a reason,_ she told herself, _You know your mission. You fight for her, no matter the cost._

Taking a breath to compose herself, Cecilia realized she missed the signal. The Sulurians were already starting to teleport out, followed quickly by the Judoons. Putting on her bravest, fiercest face, she looked to Strax before they too teleported out.

In an instant, she and the Sontaran were on either side of Colonel Manton. Without hesitation, she quickly held her weapon to the colonel’s throat, the stun baton springing to life with electricity.

“This base is now under out command,” Strax declared, pointing his gun at the colonel.

Manton’s eyes darted back and forth between the two of them, but he maintained his calm and commanding composure. “I have a fleet out there. If Demon’s Run goes down, there’s an automatic distress call.”

“Not if we knock out your communications array!” the Doctor’s voice said from over the speakers, “And you’ve got incoming!”

Another voice came over the intercom, one that spoke with a clear American accent.

“Captain Jack to the Doctor, awaiting your orders!”

“Give ‘em hell, Captain!”

Sounds of explosions came from outside, and the base rattled. Cecilia briefly took her eyes off Manton, looking up to see her dad on the rafters. Their eyes met, and they shared a quick grin.

“Target destroyed!” the American man announced.

The Doctor let out a victorious cheer. Cecilia felt her hearts race with adrenaline as she gave Colonel Manton a smug smirk.

“I believe you’re wanted upstairs, Colonel.”

Strax reaffirmed this with a not-so-gentle nudge of his gun. Manton glared at them both, and the three of them made their way upstairs.

“All airlocks sealed; resistance neutralized.” Strax announced as they entered the control room.

The Doctor spun his chair around to face them.

“Sorry, Colonel Manton, I lied,” he smirked, “Three minutes, forty- _two_ seconds.”

Cecilia looked to their captive, determination and bravery in her eyes. “Colonel Manton, you will give the orders for your soldiers to withdraw.”

“No,” the Doctor said. He stood up from his chair. “Colonel Manton, I want you to tell your soldiers to run away.”

“You what?” Manton asked.

“Those words. Run away.” He stepped closer to Manton as he spoke. “I want you to be famous for those exact words. I want people to call you Colonel Run Away. I want children laughing outside your door, because they've found the house of Colonel Run Away.” There was an anger in his voice, one that rose in intensity as went on. It was enough to send shivers down everyone’s spines, even Cecilia. “And, when people come to you, and ask if trying to get to me through the people _I love_ is in any way a good idea, I want you to tell them your name.”

He paused. An eerie silence filled the room.

“Oh, look, I'm angry. That's new. I'm really not sure what's going to happen now.”

“The anger of a good man is not a problem.”

The voice of the unfamiliar woman startled Cecilia, but she quickly regained composure. Turning her head, she saw a woman with an eyepatch standing in the doorway.

“Good men have too many rules,” she continued.

Cecilia felt her blood boil as she realized who she was. Kovarian. The infamous Madame Kovarian. Hot fury traveled through every nerve in the fifteen-year-old’s body. She couldn’t even hear the conversation between the woman and her father. She was too focused on controlling her rage.

_I could kill you. I could kill you right now. My gun is strapped to my thigh. I could-_

“Give the order, Colonel Run Away.”

The words snapped Cecilia out of her trance. She looked to her father, who appeared equally surprised. They won… Had they really won?

\--

Cecilia sat, legs swinging, as she sat atop a weapons crate. Amy had just stepped out of the TARDIS with a crying Melody. She overheard something about “not liking the TARDIS noise,” but she was too lost in thought to fully hear her. They’d done it; Melody was safe, Demon’s Run was theirs. So why did it feel… wrong?

“Sorry, Melody, they’re just not listening,” the Doctor said as he exited the TARDIS.

Cecilia looked up. Seeing what her dad was carrying, she grinned as she hopped down from the crate.

“What’s this?” Amy happily asked.

“My old cot,” Cecilia said, nostalgia in her voice as she stood with her family.

“It’s yours?” Rory asked, not entirely convinced.

“Yeah, dad gave it to mum before I was born,” she explained, “Well, guess he hasn’t _yet,_ but he will. Time travel, very complicated.”

Rory turned back to the Doctor. “But… where would you get a cot? Much less one this-”

Cecilia noticed it too. Her smile dropped and her voice quieted as she cut him off. “Old.” As Melody was placed in the cot, Cecilia stepped forward to study it further. “He hasn’t given it to her yet, and it’s already old…” Her head sprang up, and her eyes locked onto her father. “Dad, do you have other kids?”

The Doctor looked away, focusing instead on the baby in the cot. “No…”

The teenager’s spine stiffened. “Did you ever?”

No answer. Just silence. Cecilia felt a coldness spread through her core, and goosebumps rose on her skin.

“Doctor-” An American man’s voice brought them both out of their thoughts, the same American man from earlier. The Doctor and Cecilia looked up, Jenny, Strax, and the American walking over to them. “The Judoon have escorted the Clerics out of the quadrant, Spitfires have returned to their own time-”

Cecilia eyed the man closely. She was sure she hadn’t seen him before… and yet…

“I know you,” she found herself saying.

Grinning, the Doctor put a hand on her shoulder. “Of course you do. I must’ve told you stories at some point. Cecilia, this is Captain Jack Harkness, an old friend of mine. Jack, this is my daughter, Cecilia Song.”

Jack grinned politely at Cecilia. “Good to meet you, kid.” He turned his attention to the Doctor, flashing him a cheeky grin. “Well, well, Doctor. Been getting _busy_ since I last saw you?”

“Hold on,” Jenny spoke up, eyes wide as she faced Cecilia, “You’re his _daughter?”_

“Yeah?” She raised a brow. Had her dad really not mentioned that?

“Good Lord, boy,” Strax said, “What have you done to owe a debt to your own father?”

“I’m not here out of debt to my father,” Cecilia informed him, crossing her arms over her chest, “I’m here out of debt to Melody.”

The Doctor and the Ponds heads quickly turned. Had they heard right?

“Well, debt’s not the right word,” Cecilia thought out loud, “More like… Loyalty, that’s the word! I’m here out of loyalty to Melody.”

“You’ve met her before?” Amy asked, a smile on her face.

“I’m your best friend’s daughter. Do you really think I haven’t met _your_ daughter?” Cecilia grinned. She looked down into the cot, lost in memories as she reached out to hold the baby’s hand. “Melody and I… we go way back. She’s always been there for me, always there when I needed her. Best person I’ve ever known… So yeah, I’m here for her.”

Amy and Rory couldn’t help but smile. As much as they’d been warned about spoilers, they clung to Cecilia’s words. As brief of a snippet as it was, hearing what a great person their daughter would grow to be was encouraging.

Suddenly, a voice came over the intercom. “Doctor, we need you in the main control room.”

“Be right there!” the Doctor replied. The others watched briefly as he hurried off, before turning their attention back to Cecilia and the Pond’s.

“So, you and Melody,” Amy said, a hopeful curiosity in her voice, “You’re really close?”

“Oh, very,” Cecilia nodded, “’Friad I can’t much more. Spoilers, you know how it is.”

“But can you tell us,” Rory asked, his voice more serious than his wife’s, “Who is it that wants her? _Why_ do they want her?”

Cecilia bit her lip. “It’s… complicated.”

“Cecilia, please,” Amy pleaded, “Your dad’s always holding out on us. This is our _baby._ Is there anything you can tell us? Anything at all?”

Cecilia forced her gaze to the ground. What _could_ she tell them? She’d already interfered with the timeline so much. It was a miracle she was even-

“Drop your weapons!” Strax’s voice broke the silence, “State your intent!”

\--

“I heard her talking! This is a trap!” Lorna pleaded, “Why would I lie to you?”

“You might wanna take a look at your uniform,” Rory reminded her.

“The only reason I joined the Clerics was to meet the Doctor again!”

“You wanted to meet him?” Cecilia questioned, aggressively, “So you joined an army to _fight_ him?”

“Well, how else do you meet a great warrior?”

Rory scoffed.

“He’s not a warrior,” Amy said.

“Then why is he called the Doctor?”

Before they could question her on what she meant, the lights went out. Everyone jumped as darkness filled the base.

“It’s starting,” Lorna warned, “Please, listen to me!”

Cecilia looked around, her hearts pounding. She felt around her thighs for her baton, but only found her gun. Blood running cold, she remembered she left it in the TARDIS.

“Confirmed,” Strax said, his scanner in hand, “No lifeforms on this base, except us and the Silurians.”

“The Headless Monks aren’t alive! They don’t register as lifeforms.”

A collective panic swept through the group. They glanced to each other, none sure of what to do.

“Ok…” Cecilia spoke up, scouring her brain for an idea, “Ok… Amy, Rory, grab Melody! Get in the TARDIS, we’re getting out of here.”

“You know how to fly it?” Rory asked as Amy lifted Melody from the cot.

“Yeah, dad taught me,” she assured him, “Then mum taught me the right way.”

Adrenaline pumping through her veins, she began to lead them to the ship. Just as they approached, the TARDIS was suddenly engulfed in a glowing light.

“What’s that?” Amy asked.

Cecilia approached, cautiously. She reached out her hand, gently touching the light beam. Feeling a mild shock on her hand, she took a step back.

“Force field!” She reached into her jacket pocket, pulling out her sonic and scanning the field. “I can break it if-!”

A loud thumping sound came from behind.

“And those are the doors locking,” Lorna said.

Cecilia’s stomach dropped. There was no way she could lower the force field in time.

As Vastra and Dorium approached them, another sound could be heard in the distance. A sort of… singing.

“Oh dear god!” Dorium gasped, “That’s the attack prayer!”

Without thinking, Cecilia reached for the only weapon she had. She’d sworn she’d never use it – she _still_ didn’t want to use it – but it was the gun or nothing.

“Come with me,” Rory said, hurrying to Amy’s side.

“I’m with you, too,” Cecilia said, following after them.

With nowhere else to go, Rory led Amy and Melody behind a stack of crates. Cecilia stood guard at their side.

“Rory, um…” Amy said as she knelt to hide, “No offense to the others, but you let them all die first. Ok?”

“You’re so Scottish,” Rory said, amused despite the circumstance.

“I won’t leave them,” Cecilia promised, “I’ll protect them, no matter the cost.”

Rory nodded. As he went to give Amy a kiss, Cecilia switched off the gun’s safety lock.

“Centurian!” Jack called out, “Need your help, hot stuff!”

As reluctant as he was to leave them, Rory got to his feet and hurried over. Cecilia gave Amy one last nod of assurance before turning to stand guard.

“Melody Pond is under my protection,” she promised.

There were several seconds of silence. Too many. All that could be heard were Melody’s cries and the pounding of their own hearts. Suddenly, the sound of slicing echoed through the air, followed by Dorium’s body hitting the ground.

“At all cost, protect the child!” Vastra ordered.

Taking a deep breath, Cecilia held her arms outstretched, finger ready on the gun’s trigger. Her hands shook terribly, and she felt tears stinging in her eyes.

The sounds of battle filled the air. A mix of bullets and lazers shot off, the former emitting the smell of gun smoke. Swords clanked, and Jack hit the floor, dead, more than once. Time seemed to slow yet speed up at the same time. Cecilia’s hearts raced, and tears ran down her cheeks. She hadn’t felt fear like this since she faced the Weeping Angel.

Suddenly, the sound of something splattering came from behind. Cecilia thought nothing of it, until Amy let out a blood curdling scream.

“RORY!”

\--

“AMY!” the Doctor called out as he sprinted through the base, “Amy, she’s not real! Melody, she’s a Flesh avatar!”

It was deathly quiet as he finally reached the others. Seeing the sullen faces, his hearts dropped.

“Yeah, we know.” Rory said.

The Doctor’s gaze lowered. The ground was strewn with bits of weaponry and fallen Monks. Strax rested against a stack of crates, wounded and dying. Jack was covered in his own blood. Cecilia sat on the ground, knees to her chest and eyes puffy and red. Jenny sat with Amy, comforting her as she stared off into the distance.

“So they took her anyway,” Amy said as the Doctor approached her, “All this was for nothing.”

The Doctor almost couldn’t bring himself to look at her. “I am so sorry.”

Choking back a sob, Cecilia stood up and went over to them. “I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t’ve… I should’ve known better.”

Amy stood up, eyes full of pain and fury as she faced her. “You knew this would happen. You know the whole time!”

“I tried to stop-!”

“Cecilia,” the Doctor interrupted, “Tell me you didn’t.”

Cecilia’s head hung low, and she fought hard not to cry again. “I’m sor-”

“You knew they’d take Melody!” Amy cried, “You knew, and you said nothing! You stood by and-!”

“I tried to _stop it!”_ Cecilia pleaded, forcing herself to look her in the eye, “I tried to save her!”

“You tried to interfere with established events!” the Doctor scolded.

“You lied to me!” Amy continued, fresh tears trailing down her cheeks, “You said you two were close! You said you _knew_ her! Why would you do that?!”

“I _didn’t_ lie!” Cecilia shouted, “I love Melody, I love her more than anything else in the universe! Why else would a risk a _paradox_ for her!?”

Unable to take it anymore, Cecilia turned away, forcing her fingers through her hair as she started to sob.

“Amy,” Jenny said, “It’s not her fault.”

Cecilia cried harder at this. Perhaps that was true, but it didn’t feel like it to her. She fell to her knees, wrapping her arms around herself. She’d failed… she failed.

A crackling sound filled the air, and a flash of light appeared in the distance. Cecilia looked up, but couldn’t see what caused it from where she was slumped.

“Well then, soldier. How goes the day?”

Cecilia’s breath hitched. Hearing her mother’s voice, she sprang up and went to run to her. She stopped in her tracks, however, when she saw it. River was unmistakably pregnant, around six months by the look of it. Lowering her head, Cecilia tried to draw as little attention to herself as possible as she shuffled out of sight.

_I’ve screwed with the timeline enough for one day_ , she thought as she pulled out her sonic and lowered the force field that surrounded the TARDIS.

\--

The Doctor practically leaped into his ship, cackling happily as he hurried to the controls. The engines rumbled and he danced around the console, the TARDIS entering the vortex successfully.

He couldn’t believe what he just learned. It was just so brilliant! River Song was Melody Pond! _River_ was the daughter of Amy and Rory, his best friends!

Suddenly, his face fell, and he stood still, realization hitting him like a ton of bricks. If River was Melody… then that meant-

“I don’t suppose you could give me a lift home?”

The Doctor spun around. Cecilia sat, sullen, on the steps, hunched over and her hands clasped together. There was a silence for a moment, as the Doctor tried to think of what to say.

“How long have you known?” he quietly asked.

Cecilia shrugged. “Couple years.” She slowly lifted her head. “I’m sorry, dad. I’m really, _really_ sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

The Doctor nodded. He walked over and sat next to her. “I shouldn’t’ve brought you. I wasn’t _going_ to bring you… but your mother said…”

Cecilia nodded. “I thought maybe… _maybe_ she sent me because she thought I could save her. I thought that’s why… But when I saw her just now…” She scoffed at herself. “I couldn’t do anything. She sent me because I _had_ to be here. She saw me. It was already done.”

The Doctor let out a brief sigh in confirmation. “You meddled in your own history. That’s very dangerous, Cecilia. You could’ve interfered yourself out of existence.”

“I had to try. For her. I meant what I said back there. I owe mum _so_ much. I had to try.”

The Doctor was silent for a moment. Words he spoke a long time ago echoed in his mind: _“There isn’t a little boy born who wouldn’t tear the world apart to save his mummy. And this little boy can.”_

He looked to Cecilia, before taking her hand in his. “Your hearts were in the right place. _But,_ as a Time Lord, you have to know better.”

Cecilia sighed and nodded. “I know… I’m sorry.”

The Doctor let go of her hand. He stood up and offered her a hand up as well. She hesitated a moment but accepted. Once she was on her feet, the Doctor gave her a hug.

“Do you think Amy and Rory will ever forgive me?” Cecilia asked, still clinging to her father.

“Oh, I should think so.” A bit of giddiness returned to him as he looked to her. “You’re their granddaughter, after all.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was there any real reason to include Jack in this chapter? Not really. Why did I write him in, then? Because I can. 😁
> 
> If you're able to, please consider supporting my Patreon. Every little bit is appreciated, and helps me continue to focus on writing and to bring these stories to you! 😁❤ https://www.patreon.com/cerezsis


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